Tuesday, October 29, 2013

I have decided to try my hand a dying yarn. So I went and bought a cone of Lily Sugar 'n Cream 100% cotton, White. We used Tulips One-Step Tie-Dye Kit and we watched this video how to first
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSzM28hB87o We did it both was and we weren't as happy with the results of the ball method as we were the other way.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

I have created a new pattern that I call 'Butterfly
Bookmark Pen/Stylus Holder". You can find my pattern here listed under "Crochet Patterns" or on Ravelry.

A big thanks to Suzetta Williams for testing this pattern for me and for allowing me to base my tail on the tail of her Fan Bookmark pattern. You can find her pattern here http://suzies-yarnie-stuff.blogspot.com/2010/12/fan-bookmark.html

Rnd 3: SS in
next dc and into chain 1 space. Ch 1, *sc,
hdc, dc, hdc, sc in this chain 1 space and repeat from * in next chain 1
space.In the next 2 chain spaces work
the following **sc, hdc, dc, tr, ch 3 and ss
into the first chain forming a picot, dc, hdc, sc. Repeat from * in the next 2 chain 1 spaces and in the last 2
chain 1 spaces repeat from ** . ss to chain 1. Fasten off.

With Picots on both sides, see photo below, fold in half.
Tie black yarn around center. Cut yarn and if you want the antennae to be stiff
put drop of white glue on them and work it in with your fingers.

Sew Butterfly about 1 in up from the bottom of the
holder.

Alternate version; sew a large button (I used a
decorative button) on instead of the butterfly.

To get the butterfly through the chain 4 space openings
pass the bottom of the wings first then the top over the center of the
butterfly and then the bottom of the other side and then the upper wings. You
may have to pull the antennae through afterwards.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Pumpkin BagMaterialsWorsted Weight Yarn
Orange, black, green, light green andwarm brownH Hookyarn needleNOTES:1. Read through all instructions before beginning.2. Beginning ch 2 doesn’t count as a stitch.3. Pull the joining slipstitches tight, so that they don’t get counted as a stitch on the following roundBagRnd 1: with orange Ch 3, 6 hdc in 3rd chain from hook, ss to first hdc.Rnd 2: Ch 2, 2 hdc in each stitch around, ss to first hdc.

I had a friend over a few weeks ago and I was teaching her how to work with polymer clay. She loves it and is going to be getting her own supplies so she can make a polymer clay nativity. This is what we made when she was here

I got a order for 2 more crosses along with the crosses I made a egg, there is a real egg under the clay. This is how they came out

Set of 5 US
#6 dpns. to switch to when stitches no longer fit on circs

US #3 dpns

Safety eyes
or black embroidery thread

Poly-fil

Embroidery
needle

4 stitch
markers, one should be a different color to mark beginning of round.

Size: approx. 12" square

Gauge is
not really important but mine is 4"= 20sts and 24 rows in stockinette.

Abbreviations

B/O = bind
off

CC =
contrast color

C/O = cast
on

DPN =
double pointed needles

K = knit

K2tog =
knit two stitches together

MC = Main
color

P = purl

PM = Place marker

Rnd = round

SSK = slip,
slip, knit (slip stitches one at a time knitwise then knit them together
through the back loop)

Sts =
stitches

[ ] = repeat between brackets specified amount
if times

Main blanket:

With CC1
C/O 220 sts on circular needles

Join to
work in the round being careful not to twist sts.

Rnd 1: pm, p55, pm, p55, pm, p55, pm, p55

Rnd 2: [ssk, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog] 4 times.

Rnd 3: p around

Rnd 4: [ssk, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog ] 4 times

Rnd 5: p around

Rnd 6: [ssk, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog] 4 times

Rnd 7: p around

Cut working
yarn and switch to CC2

Rnd 8: [ssk, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog] 4 times

Rnd 9: p around

Rnd 10: [ssk, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog] 4 times

Rnd 11: k around

Cut working
yarn and switch to MC

Rnd 12: [ssk, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog] 4 times

Rnd 13: k around

Repeat rnds
12 and 13 until you have worked a total of 53 rnds. You will have 12 sts left
your needles. Switch to dpns when you stitches no longer fit

comfortably
on your circs. I had to switch around rnd 30. You will now begin increasing for
the head.

Head

If you are
a loose knitter you may want to consider going down a needle size so that your
stuffing doesn’t show through the stitches of the head

Rnd 1: k1fb around (24)

Rnd 2: k24

Rnd 3: k1, k1fb around (36)

Rnd 4-20: k36

Stop here
to make and sew on eye patch, place safety eyes (safety eyes are not
recommended for babies as they could come loose and be a choking

hazard) or
use embroidery thread to make eyes, embroider on nose and mouth and stuff head.
For the nose I used satin stitch and I used duplicate stitch for the lines of
the mouth. I would encourage you to do what looks best to you; you may know a
better technique then me. Also I found it easier for me to place my live
stitches on some scrap yarn while I worked the face, my dpn’s were just getting
in my way.

Rnd 21: k1, k2tog around (24)

Rnd 22: k24

Rnd 23: k1, k2tog around (16)

Rnd 24: k16

Rnd 25: k2tog around (8)

Rnd 26: k8

Cut yarn
and thread through remaining stitches to fasten off

Eye patch:

With your
size 3 dpns and eye patch color of your choice C/O 6 sts divide stitches evenly
onto 3 dpns and join to work in the round being careful not to twist sts.

Rnd 1: k1fb around (12)

Rnd 2: k12

Rnd 3: k1fb, k1 around (18)

B/O all sts

Ears:

Make 2

With CC1,
or color of your choice, C/O 12 sts onto size 6 dpns. Divide stitches evenly
onto 3 dpns and join to work in the round being careful not to

Turn your
puppy upside down and through the hole in the bottom add any additional
stuffing you may need. Once your puppy is stuffed to your liking put a few
stitches in to close up the hole. Weave in any loose ends, and congratulations
you have now finished your puppy lovey!

You may
have noticed that my blue puppy is slightly different than the pink, that's
because I made the blue one first and decided it needed slight modifications.
Just in case you want to know here are the things I did different on the blue
puppy.

I only c/o
180 sts so you would place markers every 45sts.

I only did
7 rnds of garter stitch border and used only one color.

Since I
cast on fewer stitches I only worked 43 rnds before beginning head increases.

I used
safety eyes because my 4 year old son decided it was for him and I don't have
to worry about him getting the eyes out and choking on them. Thatis it, the
only differences.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

For the main color I used Red Heart
Cherry Chip(less than half the skein. Small amount of white and black for the
eyes and a small amount, mine is a kind of mustard yellow for the beak.

Set of us #6 circular needles, I used 24
inch because it us the smallest size I have, 16in may be better.

Set of 5 #6 dpns (to switch to when
stitches no longer fit on circulars)

#3 dpns (for the eyes)

4 stitch markers (I used 3 the same
color and one different to mark beginning of round)

Tapestry needle,Stuffing.

You will be working the lovey from the
outside edges in, in the round.

Main
blanket:

C/O 180 sts join to work in the round,
being careful not to twist sts. PM for beginning of rnd.

Rnd
1: p45, pm, p45, pm, p45, pm, p45

Rnd
2(decrease rnd) and all subsequent even rnds: *ssk, k to 2 sts before
marker, k2tog* repeat decrease between each

marker, a total of 4 times. You will be
decreasing a total of 8 sts.

Rnd
3: p all sts

Rnd
4: work as rnd 2

Rnd
5: p

Rnd
6: work as rnd 2

Rnd
7: k all sts (this will be the same for every odd rnd)

Repeat the last 2 rnds until you have
worked a total of 43 rnds. Your last rnd will be a k all rnd and you should
have 12 sts left.

You will now begin increases for owl
head.

Head:

Rnd
1: k1fb, k4, k1fb, k1fb, k4, k1fb (16)

Rnd
2: k all

Rnd
3: k1fb, k6, k1fb, k1fb, k6, k1fb (20)

Rnd
4: k

Rnd
5: k1fb, k8, k1fb, k1fb, k8, k1fb (24)

Rnd
6: k

Rnd
7: k1fb, k10, k1fb, k1fb, k10, k1fb (28)

Rnd
8: k

Rnd
9: k1fb, k12, k1fb, k1fb, k12, k1fb (32)

Rnd
10: k

Rnd
11: k1fb, k14, k1fb, k1fb, k14, k1fb (36)

Rnds
12-20: k

Divide sts on 2 dpns to prepare to kitchener
stitch head closed (but don’t close yet)

At this point I stopped to make and sew
on the eyes and embroider on the beak.

To
make eyes.

C/O 6 sts with white yarn on #3 dpns
join to work in the round.

Rnd
1: k1fb all sts (12)

Rnd
2: k

Rnd
3: *k1fb, k1* repeat (18)

Rnd
4: k

Bind off all sts.

With black yarn and a tapestry needled I
used duplicate stitch of center so it appears the owl is looking off to the
side. For an alternate look you could cast on and work rnd 1 with black yarn
then switch to white for remaining rnds (see picture

below). Sew on eyes

Embroider on beak as in picture (I didn’t
right down how many sts and rows I was covering as I was doing it and I gave

the owl away already) just do what looks
good to you!

Stuff the head (don’t stuff to much that
you make it hard to close the head, you will be able to add more

stuffing after the head is closed)

Kitchener stitch the head closed

Flip your owl over and you can now add
any additional stuffing through the small hole from where you started the

increases for the head. Once it is
stuffed to your liking put in a few stitches to close up the hole.

Weave in any ends and you almost done,
you just need to do the ears now.

cut 8 strands of yarn maybe about 10in in length
(4 for each ear). With a tapestry needle pull 4 strands of yarn half way

through the tip of one ear, tie a knot
in the yarn to secure and trim strands to desired length. Repeat for second ear
and you are done.

You can lightly block if you'd like (my
corners sort of curled up a bit, I guess blocking would correct that, but I've
never

blocked anything before) :-)

Close up of beak:Alternate version of eye:

This pattern has not been tested. Please let me know if you make it and any comments you may have.

About Me

I learned how to crochet from My Aunt Lillian when I was about 12 years old. My Aunt Sylvia taught me how to do Macrame. My Mom taught me to sew, paint on glass and a large assortment of other crafts. Crocheting has become my passion, I work on something just about everyday. I also love to work with polymer clay.
My oldest granddaughter has caught the crafting bug and has learned to crochet and work with polymer clay too.